


The Princess in the Tower

by SpaceDimentio



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Claustrophobia, Episode: s05e27 Together Alone, Gen, Panic Attacks, Sensory Deprivation, Starvation, light deprivation theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 06:24:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17278745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceDimentio/pseuds/SpaceDimentio
Summary: Pink Diamond receives a severe punishment for the first time.Inspired by the end of Together Alone and that one post on tumblr about the light deprivation theory.





	The Princess in the Tower

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So, fun fact: Gems get their energy from light. What happens when you lock them up in a dark room?
> 
> Inspired by: https://singlepalerose.tumblr.com/post/181599719621/hey-guys-uhhh-good-chance-the-diamonds-used
> 
> **Warnings: Abusive parental behavior, claustrophobia, starvation, panic attacks, and sensory deprivation.**

“Pink, can’t you behave yourself?” Yellow sighed, drawing her away from the open-mouthed crowd into a private room.

“What? What’d I do now?” Pink pouted, wrenching herself out of Yellow’s grasp the second the door closed behind them. “I thought you liked it when I made jokes like that!”

The elder diamond pinched the bridge of her nose. “Not in public, Pink! Where others can see us, we must be poised and perfect! We are flawless beings, and you have to act like it!”

“I don’t understand; you don’t want me to be myself?” The little diamond’s eyes watered.

“No, that’s not what I-”

“Starlight, Sunshine, what’s going on here?”

Yellow almost flinched. White was peering around the corner, smiling. “N-Nothing, White. Pink is just being foolish again,” she said, standing a little straighter.

The ground shook with White’s titanic footsteps as she walked towards them; Yellow would swear on her gem that she could be as quiet as a whisper when she wanted to be.

“It doesn’t sound like nothing,” White tittered, opening the door to the ballroom a little and looking out for a moment. “Those gems seem awfully upset.”

Pink rolled her eyes. “I don’t see why. It was just a harmless joke.” Her gaze fell to the floor as she sulked; a long, black fingernail went under her chin and raised it up again.

“What, exactly, did you say, Starlight?” White asked in a soft voice, leaning over her with her head cocked to the side slightly. Yellow took a subtle step away; the little wretch didn’t have the sense to be afraid.

 “I said that that hessonite looked like she’d been caught in an engine exhaust,” Pink said innocently.

“Oh, Starlight…” White straightened, clicking her tongue.

 “What? It’s true, isn’t it?” Pink threw up her arms, exasperated. “Seriously, what was her outfit even supposed to be?”

“That hessonite is one of my best commanders, and now I’ll have to do extra work to mollify her,” White replied, giving a gentle poke to Pink’s cheek. Smiling, as always.

Pink huffed, turning away and crossing her arms. “Some of those gems thought it was funny…”

“Regardless, it’s improper to say such things. …Right, Sunshine?”

Yellow stiffened. “Yes. I’ve told her again and again to watch her manners.”

“Perhaps you need to do more to make. it. stick.” White’s eyes locked onto hers for one long, terrifying moment, until Yellow averted her gaze. The massive diamond turned and began to leave.

“Is that really…” Yellow started.

White looked back over her shoulder, wagging a finger. “Ah, ah, ah. No buts, Sunshine.”

Yellow lowered her head. “Yes, of course, White…”

Pink watched White depart. “What’s she talking about, Yellow?” she questioned, peering up at her with curious eyes.

“Come along, Pink.” Yellow pulled her by the arm, keeping her eyes locked ahead of her.

“Where are you taking me? To my room?” The little diamond struggled to resist.

“No.”

“Yellow, c’mon! You’re hurting me!”

“Please be quiet, Pink. It’s for your own good.”

Pink did fall silent, finally noticing the pinched quaver in her older sister’s voice. “…Yellow?”

* * *

The door slammed shut, leaving her in complete darkness. Pink banged on the wall, the sound echoing around her. “Yellow! Hey, Yellow! How is this any different from locking me in my room?!”

She gave up and slumped down, unable to hear anything outside. “Stupid clumpy clod face…” she muttered angrily under her breath, rubbing her bruised arm.

She lit up her gem and looked around. The room was big, but completely barren. Not a single pebble to play with.

Sighing, she laid on her back on the floor, occupying herself for some time by making shadow puppets with her fingers. Eventually, she got bored and fell asleep, the rosy light going out.

Time didn’t seem to pass at all in this room. It took her a moment to realize she was even awake. She poked around at the walls and ceiling, guided by the glow of her gem. There wasn’t so much as a single crack.

Pink didn’t notice, at first, when the air began to feel heavy. When it was dark and she couldn’t see anything, the walls seemed to tower over her invisibly. And when she set her gem alight, it helped, but she soon began to feel tired. Sleeping didn’t make her feel any better.

Unease grazed its cold fingers along her spine.

This wasn’t like being sent to her room after all.

She paced in anxious circles, running her hand along the smooth wall. It was getting harder to make her gem glow, harder to make it stay on for longer than a few seconds.

She went to where she thought the door was and pressed her ear to it.

“H-Hello?”

A little louder. “Hello? C-Can anyone hear m-me out there?”

There was nothing, nothing but the sound of her ragged breathing and the echoes of her voice. She whimpered, startling herself with the helpless noise.

Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

Pink light flooded the room for a brief second. It flickered, grew stronger for a moment, then went out for good. She tried to punch through, tried to bring her diamond strength to bear, but every movement made her body tremble.

“Let me out! Please! _Please!_ ” Her desperate cry bounced around the room and faded away.

Fingernails scratched at the solid stone as she sank to the ground. “What’s happening to me…” she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt tears trickling down her cheeks.

There was no reprieve from the darkness. She knew the room was massive, she _knew_. But it wasn’t, it wasn’t!

She didn’t need air. She couldn’t seem to stop taking rapid breaths.

It was like an _ache_.

Urgent. Dreadful.

Reaching to the very core of her being.

She needed to get out. She needed to get out _right NOW_

How long had she been in here

How long how long HOW LONG

Her limbs refused to move.

weak

what was this

w h y

it hurt it hurt oh stars please make it stop please

she couldn’t think over the roar of the dark she couldn’t _breathe_ please please she was

sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry

_click_

Just when she was at her limit, just when her form would have crumbled to dust, a bright white light turned on.

Pink gasped, suddenly blinded. Her cheek lay against the freezing cold floor, and some unknown primordial instinct urged her to get up, to turn towards the light. She managed to move a little and collapsed on her side.

The crushing pressure lightened considerably. Relieved tears slid down her face.

The light clicked off.

And it began again.

* * *

The door opened, and Pink didn’t notice.

She was curled up on the ground, her eyes staring at nothing as she shook uncontrollably.

“Oh, Pink…” Blue Diamond whispered, rushing forward and gathering her catatonic sister into her arms.

“…B-Blue?” The word barely made a sound.

“It’s ok, Pink, it’s alright. It’s over now,” Blue murmured, holding her tighter to her chest.

Pink sobbed, clinging to Blue feebly.

“Oh please. It was only two months,” Yellow said, coming a little closer.

“Yellow!” Blue snapped venomously, glaring. The golden diamond stayed where she was, sighing.

“What…” Pink tried to raise her head. “What…”

“Shhh…” Blue gently ran her fingers through her sister’s tangled hair. “Light is a gem’s energy source…” she explained, voice soft. “Without it…”

It clicked.

Pink managed to turn and look at Yellow.

Yellow wouldn’t meet her eyes.

* * *

“Rose?”

Pearl’s voice snapped her out of her reverie.  Rose Quartz blinked and turned to her companion. “Hmm?”

“Are you alright? You looked kind of lost.” The corrupted agate they’d captured a few hours ago lay bubbled in her inquisitive hands.

“I’m fine,” Rose lied.

The night was moonless, and it was hard to see. She stared up at the sky, watching, not breathing, waiting for the clouds to move.

…Yes, there were still stars.

Still stars.

And crickets. And the howls of night creatures. And the low murmur of voices in the village.

She was never going back.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry (I'm not sorry). As soon as I saw the episode and a post reminding us that light is a Gem's energy source, the idea that the dark room Stevonnie got thrown in might, in fact, be a _starvation chamber_ just clicked with me. And if there's one thing I can't resist writing, it's suffering.
> 
> Blue and Yellow Diamond are some of my favorite characters, and I've been writing them for a while now. I never forget that they're capable of doing some truly awful things; even so, I _never once_ imagined that they were capable of torturing their own beloved sister, if that's truly what that room is. All I can think is that it's something that White did to them in the past.
> 
> Knowing how devious and cruel Homeworld is (gem crusher from Friend Ship, anyone?), I decided there was probably something to prevent gems from growing so weak that they poof, if so desired. The light stays on just long enough to keep them from losing consciousness. Otherwise I'd imagine that they'd eventually lose their inside-their-gem consciousness as well, and become a lifeless rock.
> 
> What a way to start off the new year, eh?


End file.
